Author's Note

Thanks everyone for your messages about this story. This is the final chapter for this little vignette, and it's basically a clean version of the ending I've already written for it in my bonus chapter / story Catching The Embers. I was going to write another chapter for this story but I feel I concluded it in Catching The Embers so I've edited out the M content and replaced it here. Sorry if this is a bit confusing, I'm still new to writing and posting, so please bear with me. I'll try to get my act together next time!

Thanks again for your lovely comments and messages, it really spurs me on to write more, so many thanks and I look forward to posting new stories again soon.

With the light turned off and the quiet cold darkness of the autumn night outside, Laura found herself sighing deeply as she felt the warmth from Robbie's body against her back. For a few minutes she tried to sleep, closing her eyes.

But sleep didn't descend. Nor did it for Robbie who had tried to do the same.

Some nights they dropped off to sleep straight away, usually Robbie first and then Laura would gently move from his embrace and sleepily turn onto her stomach before drifting off.

But not tonight; not just yet.

Still spooned against his chest, Laura heard Robbie clear his throat softly. She smiled to herself. She knew he was awake and she knew what would happen next.

Robbie in turn could feel that Laura was still not asleep, her breathing hadn't slowed and there was what felt like an electric hum between them, where they made contact against each other, as if neither of them had been earthed. He knew what would happen next too. . .

Afterwards, Robbie, stretched out by Laura's side nuzzled his nose against her cheek. As she turned to face him he regarded her, steadily holding her gaze with a knowing smile. She looked back at him, her eyes darting shyly between his. A bashful laugh escaped her lips. She was often like this after they'd been together. He adored it. It wasn't what he'd expected at first – she was usually so confident and self-assured in other areas of her life, he'd not anticipated her to be shy in these matters at all. He didn't realise the real reason behind it. Laura wasn't a prude and she'd had her fun in the past but since being with Robbie she'd discovered she'd not been in love with anyone before as much as she felt with him. It had disarmed her and for now she was a little in awe of it all. She knew she'd fallen hard for him. She was still getting used to how good it all felt. The two of them, together; how good it really was and how much she was allowing herself to love and be loved by him.

"You ok?" He asked her, his voice was soft and quiet.

"Mmhmmm" she replied and now her smile beamed at him and in turn he grinned back at her. Tenderly he brushed a stray lock of hair that had fallen across her eyes then gently kissed her lips.

"You should sleep, it's late"

"I know" she said still smiling and looking at him. She didn't seem to care how late it was. After a moment, however, she sighed and then got up to go to the bathroom.

When she returned, Robbie had unrumpled the duvet and plumped up the pillows for her. He lay on his back and she climbed in beside him for the second time that night. She snuggled up to him and rested her head on his chest and within a few minutes was sound asleep.

Robbie felt himself fading into to sleep himself but not before placing a kiss to the top of Laura's head. He wasn't naïve, their relationship was complex sometimes, they both had baggage, they could both be stubborn and short sighted. But not for the first time since they had got together he recognised how happy and glad he was to be with someone. To be with her. It had been a long painful journey and she'd been the one by his side all the time. And here she was now, after all these years, wanting to be with him, despite his faults. He took in a deep restful breath and breathed out slowly with a sense of long held relief. Laura murmured something indecipherable and in her sleep her fingers gently clutched at his chest. He smiled. Goodnight canny lass. And he drifted off to sleep in the warm darkness.